Balanced salt mix

[ljosh]

What is the best brand salt mix for maintaining a balanced ph alkalinty calcium etc?

I have found a good ratio for adding alkalinity and calium but when I do water changes with my salt it seems to knock it out of balance. Maybe I am doing to large of water changes.

[Henry Bowman]

Reef Crystals (Made by Instant Ocean) is what I just started to use. Just changed from Instant Ocean last night. Tested the new batch and Ca comes out to 400 Dkh was 9. I have heard good reviews regarding Tropic Marine but do not know from personal experience.

[Rhodesholar]

My RC has always mixed to 450 Ca++ and 12 DKH.

[marsh]

The difference is probable the sg that is mixed. A sg lower than 1.026 will get a lower Ca++ ppm.

[Rhodesholar]

Doh! I never even gave that a thought. I was sitting trying to figure out where the discrepency was and I was thinking test kit margin of error but thought that was a pretty large margin of error. Well, that is why I am Rhodesholar as opposed to Rhodescholar.

I know I know, I will work to get the jokes funnier :lmao:

[Mojo Jojo]

I just made the switch to RC. At the time my tank does not demand too much CAL or ALK so the levels still pretty balanced with the water changes. The buckets levels will vary(tested 6 diff. buckets). ALK will be 10-12, CAL from 380-440, and Mag from 1360-1440. Just make sure you test your batch before you add to the tank to know what you are getting. For now all I'm doing is adding CAL. Brings my ALK to 11 and Mag stays up in the 1400's. Here is what my water tested today. CAL 430, MAG 1440, ALK 11, PH 8.4 is this balanced enough for ya?

[Billybeau1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9906522#post9906522 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Henry Bowman
Reef Crystals (Made by Instant Ocean) is what I just started to use. Just changed from Instant Ocean last night. Tested the new batch and Ca comes out to 400 Dkh was 9. I have heard good reviews regarding Tropic Marine but do not know from personal experience.

Henry, You are not at 1.026 me thinks.

I have done extensive testing on RC and at 1.0265, calcium should be about 420, alk about 11 to 12 dkh and mag about 1260 to 1290 or so. Your number sound like you are mixing a little lean. Maybe your refract needs a calibration. :D

[Billybeau1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9906014#post9906014 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ljosh
What is the best brand salt mix for maintaining a balanced ph alkalinty calcium etc?

Unfortunately, there is not a one best for everyone. You see everyones tanks have different needs for the big three. Some folks like Oceanic because they have high calcium consumption, but many cannot use it because their tanks don't consume as much calcium. Other like IO and just supplement their levels.

Keeping a log of cal and alk consumption is the best way to figure out what brand salt you need. Whatever salt makes it easier on the aquarist, is the BEST salt. See what I mean. :)